Omaha, NE (March 16, 2015) - With March Madness in full swing, now is the perfect time to talk about basketball injuries and physical therapy jobs. Aureus Medical Group, a nationwide leader in travel physical therapy jobs, provides tips for travel therapists when treating basketball players.

There's a reason why so many people get swept up in March Madness every year – there's something exciting about that last-second shot, the sound of the ball swooshing through the net and the thunderous cheers after a big slam dunk. It's hard to believe that Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game, came up with the sport by using a soccer ball and two peach baskets in 1891. If you look at how basketball is played today, especially on the collegiate and professional levels, it's all about speed, fast breaks, agility and high-impact movements.

Although this makes the game very exciting to watch and play, basketball is associated with 1.6 million injuries each year, according to Stop Sports Injuries. As flashy and impressive as basketball is, the sport is incredibly physical and puts a lot of demands on the body.

Common basketball injuries Basketball requires constant abrupt stops, sprints and jumps, especially in the "paint" (the area right below the basket). This can put a lot of wear and tear on the joints in particular. As a result, some of the most common basketball injuries include ankle sprains, foot fractures, jammed fingers and numerous injuries to the knee, including the ACL. In fact, an ACL injury will often result in a player sitting out the rest of the season, so it's crucial for physical therapists to pay attention to the knee joint in particular when helping athletes prevent and treat basketball injuries.

Like any other sport, basketball doesn't come without its fair share of overuse injuries, especially with the amount of physical contact during games and practices. Achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis and muscle strains are also very common on the court.

"Some of the more common injuries I see are sprained ankles, knee sprains, shoulder overuse-type injuries from shooting, as well as wrist and elbow problems," Dave Fluker, the associate head athletic trainer at Xavier University, explained to Advance Healthcare Network. "Especially if you come from a team that's pretty physical and really hones in on defense, guys can get concussions and things of that nature as well. With the state of college basketball, I feel it's a very physical sport, and sometimes you get the ACL tears, head injuries and shoulder dislocations."

Aureus Medical Group is a national leader in healthcare staffing specializing in the successful placement of Nursing, Advanced Practice, Cardiopulmonary, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Laboratory, Neurodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology, and Rehabilitation Therapy professionals, as well as Physicians, in hospitals and medical facilities nationwide. With more than 30 years of experience, Aureus Medical offers a full range of staffing options, including national contract (travel), local contract, and direct hire. Aureus Medical is the largest affiliate of Omaha-based C&A Industries, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for more than 45 years.